Japan Imported Auto Sales Flat in June

Published 8:00 pm, Wednesday, July 2, 2003

Sales of imported automobiles in Japan in June changed little from the same month a year ago amid a continued economic slump here, an industry association said Friday.

The number of imported vehicles sold last month totaled 26,672 vehicles, including 26,311 passenger cars and 357 trucks and four buses, the Japan Automobile Importers Association said. In June 2002, importers sold 26,674 vehicles.

The flat performance follows a 0.2 percent slip in May and an 8.3 percent decline in April.

In June, foreign car imports fell 6.7 percent to 23,589 units, while sales of similar Japanese models nearly tripled to 2,722, from 1,000 the year before.

Japan's economic slowdown has lasted more than a decade, discouraging splurging on cars.

German automakers took the top three spots in the Japanese market. Volkswagen AG controls about 19 percent of the import market, selling 5,065 vehicles, down 12.3 percent in June.

DaimlerChrysler AG's Mercedes Benz line ranked second, with 4,444 vehicles sold and 16.7 percent of the market. BMW sold 3,637 vehicles for 13.6 percent of the market.

Among U.S. brands, Chrysler was the top-seller at 829 vehicles, up 60 percent. It holds 3.1 percent of the Japanese market.